Jerrit John, the 44-year-old film producer, arrested for flinging a chemical into the face of 26-year-old Aryanka Hosbetkar, has now been booked on charges of attempt to murder.
The section 307 (attempt to murder) was applied after Hosbetkar gave a supplementary statement to the police
where she alleged that John had tried to kill her in the past, police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (zone 5) Dhananjay Kulkarni said, “When we recorded Hosbetkar’s statement for the second time, she said John had tried to throttle her. She alleged that at least two or three times he had tried to kill her, including attacking her with a blade on one occasion.”

Following this statement along with some circumstantial evidence, the Dadar police, on Monday, moved an application before the metropolitan magistrate court at Bhoiwada seeking permission to add the charge of attempt to murder on John. The court allowed the application. John had initially been booked for causing grievous hurt in addition to robbery and wrongful confinement.

The police also asked for further custody of John as they needed to investigate more on the lines of the new development and the revelation made by the victim. The court after hearing the prosecution, granted the police custody of John till November 21.

The police also began the process of gathering evidence against John. They have recovered the vehicle that John used while on the run in addition to Hosbetkar’s mobile phone that John fled with after flinging the chemical at her. The police have also recorded the statement of the shopowner from whom John procured the chemical.